Western conference foes mostly quiet at trade deadline

As the Predators made two moves ahead of a push for the playoffs and a run at the Stanley Cup, it was a mostly quiet Deadline Day around the rest of the Western Conference. Columbus' Rick Nash — a prime target at the deadline — stayed put in a Blue Jackets jersey, the last-place team content to wait and see what might be on offer for the star winger in the off-season.

Nashville was clearly the West's most aggressive team at the deadline by adding forwards Andrei Kostitsyn from Montreal and Paul Gaustad from Buffalo on Monday, joining earlier acquisition, defenseman Hal Gill.

Central Division leaders Detroit sent defenseman Mike Commodore to Tampa Bay for a pick, content to stand pat with a team that's been dominant at home this season. St. Louis — with whom Nashville is embroiled in a tough fight for the No. 4 seed, and home-ice advantage — made no trades.

The Central's fourth playoff contender, Chicago, added defenseman Johnny Oduya from Winnipeg while sending defenseman John Scott to the New York Rangers.

Among other Western contenders, the San Jose Sharks were in the biggest trade of the day, numbers wise, acquiring forwards Dan Winnik and T.J. Gallardi from Colorado for Jamie McGinn, Michael Sgarbossa and Mike Connolly.

1 Comment on this post:

By:gid on 2/27/12 at 4:46

Gaustad made our Fowards better - big body, great in faceoffs and a shut down player. Not a huge offense threat but that is what AK should be. IF the new guys can fit in the 'team' mentalty we should be very good in the post season. I like this team better than the 0607 one we had